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Notes -
My wife and I are third-generation alumni of the same evangelical school. That's probably the primary purpose of non-elite religious schools. My father pursued a degree and went on to manage restaurants, and her dad was a baker. Both were very successful in their careers, and one could argue that they could have achieved that without a degree. Nevertheless, they cherished the sense of community and connections they gained from the school, becoming leaders in it. While my parents covered my entire tuition, hers covered half. They both loved that school. Nowadays, it costs well over 100k for a mediocre education, and the administration seems to have forgotten that the main point was to find a life partner. Personally, I knew the reason I was going there - it was free - but I couldn't understand why other kids were plunging into debt and not even coming out with a spouse. The state school was much cheaper, and, in my opinion, the girls were more attractive.
Furthermore, from the perspective of many parents, the theology professors at this mediocre academic school seem to turn about a quarter of the students into atheists. So, what exactly is the niche that this school is trying to fill? As far as I know, institutions like Liberty and College of the Ozarks are doing just fine.
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